Child Care Workforce Stabilization Grant

Grants will be awarded to eligible child care providers contingent upon availability of funding. In order to be eligible to apply for the CCWS Grant, a child care provider must meet the following criteria:

• Have a license to operate a child care facility from the Department (per the Alabama Child Care Safety Act of 2018, only licensed providers are eligible to receive state and/or federal funding);

• only licensed providers are eligible to receive state and/or federal funding);

• Have no current adverse action imposed by the Department, including probation, revocation, or suspension;

• All programs issued a DHR Child Care Services Division license that serves private-pay children, children participating in the Child Care Subsidy Program, and/or children enrolled in the DHR Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Program. Programs/classrooms that exclusively serve children funded by State funded Pre-K must hold a DHR issued licensed to qualify. Head-Start or non-DHR Early Head Start-Child Care Program are ineligible.

• Be currently open and operating as of the date the Child Care Workforce Stabilization Grant Application is submitted;

• Continue to remain open and operating for a period of one (1) year from the date of receiving the grant award. This requirement does not include temporary closures consistent with the ordinary course of business (i.e. – weather, illness, holidays). Child care providers must seek the Department’s approval for any permanent closures for which they are seeking to be exempt from repayments due to mitigating circumstances.

The bonus shall be $3,000 for each full-time staff person employed by the child care facility and $1,500 for each part-time staff person employed by the child care facility. For the purposes of the CCWS Grant full-time is considered work performed an average of more than 25 hours per week and part-time work is an average of 16 to 25 hours per week at the same child care facility during a month. Substitutes are eligible for the bonus however eligibility is exclusive to one employer. The substitute must work a minimum of 16 hours per week for one employer to be consider for the bonus.

CCWS grant funds must be used to pay bonuses to each eligible staff person employed at the child care facility on the facility’s payroll. This includes, but is not limited to, directors, teachers, caregivers, assistant teachers, assistant caregivers, floaters, cooks, custodians, receptionists, substitutes, and van drivers. A staff person who is considered a volunteer and is not on the child care facility’s payroll is not eligible for the bonus.

The bonus shall be paid in addition to regular wages and fringe benefits. For each eligible staff person on the facility’s payroll, the child care provider must continue to pay at least the same amount of weekly wages and maintain the same benefits (such as health insurance and retirement) for the duration of the CCWS grant. The child care provider shall not furlough paid employees from the date of the submission of the CCWS Grant Application period.

Each staff person that is on the facility’s payroll that is paid a bonus shall have a complete record on file at the child care facility. Child care providers should refer to the Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards for Day Care Centers and Nighttime Centers and the Child Care Licensing and Performance Standards for Family Day Care Homes, Family Nighttime Homes, and Group Daycare Homes, Group Nighttime Homes for requirements regarding staff records. Staff must be employed for 30 days prior to the grant application window, work the duration of the grant period, and still be employed at the time the provider disburses employee bonuses.

The employer will have 30 days to pay the funds to qualifying employees listed on the grant application. The grantee must provide payroll documentation within 2 weeks of the payment being made to staff.

The bonus shall be $3,000 for each full-time staff person employed at the child care facility. A person is considered full-time if they work more than 25 hours per week at the facility. The bonus shall be $1,500 for each part-time staff person employed at the child care facility. A person is considered part-time if they work an average of 16 to 25 hours per week at the same child care facility during a month The applicant may use a monthly average for staff to determine full-time or part-time should hours fluctuate each week.

If an employee works at multiple sites operated by the same child care provider, an employee is only eligible to receive one (1) bonus. For example, Jane Doe works at DHR Child Care Center Site I for 10 hours per week and also works at DHR Child Care Center Site II for 10 hours per week. Jane Doe is not eligible for a $1,500 bonus from Site I and a $1,500 bonus from Site II. Because Jane Doe works a total of 20 hours per week at both child care facilities operated by the same child care provider, Jane Doe is considered part-time (she works 16 to 25 hours per week at both facilities combined) and is eligible to receive a total of $1,500 in quarterly bonus pay from the child care provider operating both facilities.

Applications may be submitted via electronic submission, email, fax, mail or in-person. Information on where to submit an application can be found below.

Point of Contact: The Alabama Partnership for Children

Email: CCWS@apcteam.org

Fax: (334) 271-0315

Mail: 2595 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117

In-person delivery: 2595 Bell Road Montgomery, AL 36117

Questions? – 334-271-0304 or 1-866-711-4025 and ask for Child Care Workforce Grant Assistance

Payments will be disbursed via the chosen method indicated on the grant application. If your chosen payment method is paper check, it will be mailed to the address indicated on the grant application. If your chosen method is direct deposit, you will obtain and complete a direct deposit form from the regional agency processing your application. Grant payments will not be made from the STAARS payments Vendor System.

Providers must submit the Child Care Workforce Stabilization Initial grant application (Form CCWS-A) and the Child Care Workforce Stabilization Grant Employee Roster (Form CCWS-E) for the disbursement. Providers must submit payroll documentation as proof that disbursements were made within 30 days after the grant is awarded. Documentation should be provided within 2 weeks of paying bonus to employees and may be accepted by email, fax or mail using the information provided above.

Yes, payments are taxable. The employer should deduct applicable taxes as with normal payroll. The employer cannot reduce the bonus to cover the employer’s payroll cost.

Applications must be received by 5pm on May 22, 2024.